The Real Deal New York

Fortress chairman sells CPW spread for $18.75M

Peter Briger, Jr., the billionaire co-chairman of New York-based investment management firm Fortress Investment Group, has sold his five-bedroom, six-bathroom co-op at 101 Central Park West for $18.75 million, according to public records filed with the city today.

Briger, a former Goldman Sachs executive who joined Fortress in 2002, taking the title of co-chairman in 2009, listed the unit for sale with Dennis Cusack and Ric Swezey of Town Residential. Swezey has since departed Town and returned to the Corcoran Group. The spread, which is a combination of two units on the 14th and 15th floors, was listed at $23.55 million.

The duplex home used to be owned Harrison Ford, according to the listing. It features a living room with a wood-burning fireplace, an eat-in kitchen and a staff wing. The building has staffed elevators and a fitness center.

Ford lived there during his marriage to screenwriter Melissa Mathison, which ended in 2004.

Cusack did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a spokesperson for Corcoran declined comment on Swezey’s behalf. It was not immediately clear who had represented the buyer, Martin I. Schneider. Briger, who usually works from Fortress’ San Francisco office, was not immediately available for comment.

The executive is in New York this week, serving as a panelist at the CNBC Delivering Alpha conference at the Pierre hotel on East 61st Street. He has reportedly been championing the acquisition of European debt as a possibility for Fortress’ future growth. But he said the rewards aren’t enough to justify the risk just yet.

“Financial services garbage collection will be a huge opportunity in the next five years,” he said.